Improved process for refining- iron and making steel



e 1. ABSTERDAM.-

` Making Bessemer Steel. I No' '84334 Patented Nov. 24, 1868.

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MPEIERS. FH0TU-LIYMDGRAFNER` WASHINGTON. n. c.

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JOHN ABSTERDAM, or NEW YORK, nv.`

Letters Patent N2. 84,334, lated 'November 24, 1868.

IMPROVED PROCESS FOR REFINING- IRON AND MAIiING STEEL.

The Schedule 'referred to in these Letters Patent and/making part of the same.

cess for refining iron and making steel, on which a patent was granted to me, January 23, 1866, and which consists in manufacturing liron and steel Ain vacuo, by creating and maintaining a vacuum within the interior of a furnace or pot containing melted iron or steel, so as to extract the impurities of the fused metal, after thesamc have been dilated into a gaseous state by the heat.

My present improvement consists in subjecting the fused metal to a forced current of air, in combina tion with the current produced by suction, or by the vacnuln-appara-tus in such a manner that the advantages of the vacum-process are combined with those `of the forced-air process, and that the action of the air on the fused meta-l can be regulated with greater facility and nicety than it can if either the vacuumprocess or the forced-air process is used independent ofthe other.

In order to fully explain my present improvement, 1 will refer to the annexed sketch, which represents a section of an apparatus such as may be used in carrying out this invention.

A represents the converter, which is constructed in .the ordinary manaer, being' hung on trunnions a, and provided in its lower part with air-holes'b. -On the top of this converter is secured the suction or vacuumapparatus B, and under its flat bottom, I place a chamber, C, which is provided with a series of holes, c, corresponding in size and position` to the holes b in the bottom of the converter.

The chamber C is so constructed that it can be raised or lowered, and that the same, when it is raised, can be'presscd up tight against the bottom of the converter. In this position the holes c, in the top of the chamber, match with the holes b in the bottom of the converter, and if a forced cin-rent of is introduced into said chamber through the pipe D, the air will pass up through the holes c and b into the converter.

At the beginning ofthe process, the converter is charged with the molten metal, while the holes bare plugged up. The vaenum-apparatus is then started, the holes b are opened, and if an additional force of air is required, the chamber (l is pressed up against the bottom of the converter, and a forced current of air is admitted through the pipe D.

By this combination ofthe vacuum-process With the forced-air process, I retain all the advantages of the former process, andI am enabled to increase the force ofthe air to any desired extent, without the necessity of complicated or expensive machinery, a comparatively small pressure of air being required, because the forced current passes intoa partial vacuum.

Ihe action of the air on the molten metal can be regulated with the greatest nicety, and the air which is introduced into the molten metal, permeates the whole mass much more uniformly than itzdoes' if a' forced currentl of air alone is used; and furthermore, the impluities dilated by the action of the air are readily expelled by the. action of the vacuum-apparatus, as has been fully described in my patent of January 23, 1866.

I do not claim, as my invention, to subject the molten metal to the action of a forced current of air; and I also disclaim, in this present application for a patent, everything shown and claimed in my patent of J anuary 23, 1866; but having thus described my invention lh-at I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The within-described process of refining iron and making steel by exposing the molten metal in the converter to the combined action of a current of air produced by suction, and of a current of air'produced by force, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JOHN ABSTERDAM.

Witnesses:

W. HAUFF, Unas. WAHLERS. 

